Product transfer mechanism



Aug. 25, 1953 E. J. RAPP 2,649,952

PRODUCT TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 28. 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 1 &2.

Aug 25, 1953 E9. RAPP $649,952

PRODUCT TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 28, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fq' m.

1' WET 39 I In Well 20?. Ear 2 J72 app.

E. J. RAPP 2,649,952

I PRODUCT TRANSFER MECHANISM s Sheets-Sheet s *m NW m & Wy w mm Aug. 25, 1953 Filed Jan. 28, 1952 Far 2 J12 2 22;. M

o o c Patented Aug. 25, 1953 PRODUCT TRANSFER MECHANISM Earl Joseph Rapp, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Lynch Corporation, Anderson, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application January 28, 1952, Serial No. 268,471

10 Claims. l

This invention relates to a product transfer mechanism for feeding a product such as halfpound or pound prints of butter or oleomargarine from two side-by-side conveyors alternately feeding them to a common position for movement into a wrapping and cartoning mechanism.

One object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple and novel mechanism to handle units of product issuing from a pair of intake conveyors in a side-by-side arrangement so that the units from both conveyors can be fed to a. single wrapping and cartoning mechanism.

Another object is to provide carrier elements for the units of product issuing from the discharge ends of intake conveyors, such carrier elements carrying the units to substantially the same position where a unit from one conveyor is wrapped and cartoned, and then a unit from the other conveyor is wrapped and cartoned, the process continuing alternately in this manner.

Still another object is to provide carrier elements which are laterally movable from spaced apart positions alternately to a certain position,

whereupon the units of product from the alterrequired lateral and vertical movements, whereby articles from two side-by-side intake conveyors may be brought into alignment at an elevated position for feeding into the cartoning and wrapping mechanism.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my product transfer mechanism, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a product transfer mechanism embodying my invention and showing adjacent parts of abutter wrapping and car toning mechanism associated therewith.

, Figure 2 is a vertical rear end view with the intake conveyors removed, and is taken substantially on the section line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation similar to a portion of Figure 2 showing the essential elements of the product transfer mechanism in an opposite position with respect to that shown in Figure 2, the midway position between the two being illustrated by dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 4; and v Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

On the accompanyin drawings I have used the reference numeral ID to indicate a main frame of a wrapping and cartoning machine and I I a drive shaft journalled therein. The shaft I I is driven in any suitable manner, usually from an electric motor (not shown) and at a suitable speed for the wrapping and cartoning mechanism with which the present invention is not concerned.

A similar wrapping and cartoning mechanism was shown in my Patent No. 2,564,079, wherein a product such as prints of butter was stacked when delivered from side-by-side conveyors. In the present invention, instead of stacking the prints, they are delivered alternately from sideby-side conveyors wherein lies the difference between my prior patent and the present disclosure, the prior mechanism being redesigned to secure the desired result of alternate transfer of the product from the side-by-side conveyors to a common position for discharge into the wrapping and cartoning mechanism.

I provide two intake conveyors I2 and I 3, each of which comprises chains I4 to which bars I5 of wood or the like are secured. There are two of the chains I4 for each conveyor I2 and I 3.

The chains I4 for the conveyor I2 are trained around sprockets I6 and for the conveyor I3 around sprockets I8. The shaft for these sprockets is indicated at 20, which shaft constitutes a direct drive for both intake conveyors I2 and I3. The shaft 20 is driven by a chain 22 meshing with a sprocket 23 on the shaft 20 and with a sprocket 24 on a counter-shaft 26.

The counter-shaft 26 is journalled in a bearing 28 of the frame I!) and carries a sprocket 29 around which a chain 25 extends. This chain also extends around the sprocket 21 which is mounted on the main drive shaft II. Thus the shaft 20 and the conveyor chains I4 for the conveyors I2 and I3 are driven.

The drive shaft II rotates once per cycle of operation of the wrapping and cartoning machine; whereas the chains I 4 travel at such speed as to present a print of product 30 to the prodnot transfer mechanism once every-other-cycle of operation of the machine so that presentation of prints thereto is made each cycle of operation of the machine alternately from the two conveyors l2 and [3.

The prints 30 (half-pound size illustrated although the mechanism can also handle pound prints) are supported on the conveyor bars [5 of both intake conveyors l2 and I3 and these conveyors feed the product toward the wrapping and cartoning machine. The prints are first fed onto plates 3| at the forward ends of the conveyors as shown in Figure 4 and 5. The prints are guided at the sides by side plates 32, and a hold-down plate 33 is mounted above each plate 3| as shown in these two figures. The plates 33 are supported by posts 34 extending upwardly from conveyor supporting frame members 35.

Just ahead of the plates 3| are carrier elements indicated generally at R36 and L36, R indicating right and L indicating left. Each carrier comprises a plate-like platform 3'! approximately the size of a half-pound print 36 and an upstanding flange 38 at the outer end of each which is the right end for R36 and the left end for L36 in Figure 3.

One of the carriers R36 or L36 will now be described as to details and the description applies also to the other. At the rear end of the platform 31, an apron 39 depends and carries a pair of pivots, an upper one 40 and a lower one 4|. A single bell crank 42 has the outer ends of its arms pivoted to the pivots 46 of both the carrier elements R36 and L36. Two other bell cranks 43 are provided, one for each of the carrier elements and pivoted thereto at the outer end of the long arm at 4 I.

The bell crank 42 is pivoted at 44 intermediate its ends and the bell cranks 43 are pivoted intermediate their ends at between a pair of plates 46 and 41, which are part of the frame-work of the machine.

For oscillating the bell cranks 42 and 43, I provide a bell crank 48 pivoted at 49 between the plates 46 and 41, and connected by links 50 and 5| with the short arms of the bell cranks 43. A link 52 is pivoted by means of ball joints 53 and 54 to the short arm of the bell crank 48 and to a lever 55. The lever 55 (see Figure 4) is pivoted at 56 to a stationary bracket 51 and carries a roller 58 held against a cam 59 by a spring 60. The cam 53 is mounted on a counter shaft 6| journalled in the bracket 51 and in bearings 62 and 63 of the side frames 16 as shown in Figure 2.

Secured on the shaft 61 is a sprocket 64 and meshing therewith is a chain 66 extending around a drive sprocket 6-5 on the drive shaft l I, whereby the shaft 6| is rotated at one-half the speed of the shaft H for oscillating the bell crank 42 and 43 in one direction during one cycle of operation of the machine and in the opposite direction during the next cycle thereof.

Ahead of the carriers R36 and L36 is a stationary apron 61 terminating at its upper end in a forwardly extending supporting platform 68 as shown in Figure 4. The platform 68 receives the prints 30 as will hereinafter appear and an additional platform 16 is shown, all of which are parts of the wrapping and cartoning machine.

Rotation of the drive shaft II, it will be seen from the foregoing, effects oscillation of the bell crank 42 and 43 for alternately elevating the prints 36 from the conveyors I2 and I3 and moving them toward the center of the machine to an elevated position shown for the print 30a in Figure 2 by the left-hand carrier element L36 and then the print 3% as shown in Figure 3 for the right-hand carrier element R36. In Figure 3 a third print 360 is illustrated and it will be the next one elevated to the position of 36a in Figure 2 and 30b in Figure 3.

The prints from both conveyors are thus transferred to a common elevated position and may be pushed off the carriers and on to platform plates 68 and 16 by means of a pusher for this purpose which is indicated at E2. The pusher I2 is carried by a rod 13 supported by a slide 14 which is slidable on stationary rod 15. The slide 14 is connected by a link 15 with the upper end of a lever 13 which lever at its lower end is forked as at 19 as shown in Figure 2 to straddle one of the frame members l0 and rock on the countershaft 61. The lever 18 carries a boss adjacent the forked end 13 with which one end of a link BI is pivotally connected. The other end of the link 6|, as shown in Figure 4, ter- Im'nates in an eccentric strap 82 surrounding an eccentric 83 on the main drive shaft l l.

Practical operation In the operation of my product transfer mechanism, the prints 36 are delivered to the plates 3! under the plates 33 and are pushed across the plates 3| on to the platforms 3'! of the carriers R33 and L36. The front print on the lower platform 31 engages the apron 61 which limits the movement of the print.

As soon as a print is completely delivered to the platform 3'4 of the carrier L36, that platform is raised by either the drop of the cam 59 operating through the roller 58, the arm 55, the link 52, the bell crank 48, the links 50 and 5!, and the bell cranks 42 and 43 to elevate the print to the 36a position shown in Figure 2. This transfer is from the 360 position of Figure 3 to the 36a position just referred to. As the carrier element L36 is being elevated, its apron 39 holds back the rest of the prints 30 on the intake conveyor I 3, the next print being held down against undesirable upward movement by the plate 33. The intake conveyor l2 and I3 operate continuously and slip under the prints to keep them tight against the apron 61.

After the print is in the 3011 position illustrated in Figure 2, the pusher 12 engages it and pushes it off the platform 3! and across the platforms 68 and 10 where part of the wrapping operation takes place, and further into the machine for completing the wrapping and cartoning operations upon the next stroke of the pusher 12.

While the carrier L36 is in the elevated position, a print is delivered from the conveyor l2 onto the carrier R36, the front print on its platform 31 engaging the apron 61 to limit the movement of the print. The carrier R36 is then raised by the rise of the cam 59 operating through the linkage as before (but in the reverse direction) to transfer the print from the conveyor l2 to the same 301) position shown in Figure 3. Likewise the apron 39 of the carrier element R36 holds back the rest of the prints 30 on the intake conveyor l2 and the next print is held down against undesirable upward movement by the plate 33 of this conveyor.

The next strokeof the pusher 12 thereby delivers another print to the wrapping and cartoning mechanism and the cycle is thereafter repeated, the pusher first pushing a print from one of the carriers 36 and then from the other due to the oscillating movement thereof as shown in Figures 2 and 3 elevating prints alternately from the two conveyors l2 and 1.3 to the in Figure 2.

In Figure 3 I illustrate a midway position of the carriers 136 .and R36 by means iofdotted lines and it will be noted that the bell cranks 42 and 43 are so connected to these carriers as to form parallelogram link arrangements, which calls .for a constant distance between the pivots at the lower ends of the bell cranks 43. Thebell crank 48', however, at its upper .end swings in an arc of a circle and therefore requires the two links '58 and but the angular change of these two out of a straight line is so small as not to cause any binding of the parts.

It will be obvious from the foregoing specification that I have provided a product transferring mechanism in which desired lateral movement of carriers is accomplished by mounting them on swinging arms and at the same time vertical movement is had in conjunction with .a pair of side-by-side intake conveyors spaced from each other, yet the product may be alternately delivered from these conveyors to a single position where a pusher is adaptableto push the product into the wrapping and cartoning machine. The necessary motion for the carriers is had with a simple arrangement of bell cranks which at all times'keep them in a level position with a minimum of friction and mechanical parts.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my product transfer mechanism without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a product transferring mechanism of the character disclosed, a pair of intake conveyors having discharge ends coincident with each other, said conveyors being arranged side-by-side, a carrier element at the forward end of each of said conveyors and adapted to receive units of product from the conveyors, said carrier elements being provided with aprons to hold back additional units, hold-down plates above the first of such additional units, connections for moving said carrier elements simultaneously with one at a common position aligned with a discharge platform when the other is aligned with its respective conveyor and vice-versa whereby the units from both conveyors may be alternately discharged at the same level, and a pusher for effecting such discharge.

2. In a product transferring mechanism for a wrapping and cartoning machine, a pair of intake conveyors arranged side-by-side, a carrier element at the forward end of each of said conveyors and each adapted to receive units of product from its respective conveyor, said carrier elements being provided with aprons to hold back additional units, and mechanical linkage connections between said carrier elements whereby they may be moved simultaneously with one at a common position aligned with a discharge platform when the other is aligned with its respective conveyor and said one aligned with its respective conveyor when said other one is at said common position whereby the units from both conveyors may be alternately discharged at the same position to said wrapping and cartoning machine.

3. In a product transferring mechanism for a pair of intake conveyors arranged side-by-side, a carrier element at the forward end of each of a position said conveyors and adapted to receive units of product therefrom, said carrier elements being mounted on swinging arms whereby they are both vertically and laterally movable for delivering the product on each alternately at substantially the same position for discharge, a pusher for effecting such discharge, and means for oscillating said arms.

4. In a product transferring mechanism, a, pair of intake conveyors having discharge ends aligned with respect to each other, said conveyors being in side-by-side relation to each other, carriers at the forward ends of said conveyors and each carrier comprising a platform to receive product from its respective conveyor, means for mounting said carriers comprising bell cranks pivoted at stationary points and arranged in pairs so as to form a parallelogram link supporting and moving arrangement for each of said carriers whereby the carriers are moved in arc-shaped paths alternately from the front end of the respective intake conveyors to a common position, and a pusher for effecting such discharge from said platforms at said common position.

5, A product handling machine comprising a pair of side-by-side intake conveyors having discharge ends aligned with each other, a carrier element at the forward end 10f each of said conv-eyors and adapted to receive units of product alternately from the conveyors, means comprising one bell crank common to both carriers and another bell crank for each of the carriers for mounting and supporting them for movement in arc-shaped paths with the carriers remaining level in all positions of movement thereof, the limits of movement being from each intake conveyor to a common position for transferring the product alternately from the conveyors to said common position so that the units of product may be discharged at the same level therefrom, means for oscillating said bell cranks in one direction during one cycle of operation of the machine and in the other direction during the next cycle of operation thereof, a pusher element for the product at said level, and means for moving said pusher element each cycle of operation of the machine.

6. In a product handling mechanism of the character disclosed, a pair of intake conveyors arranged side-by-side and having delivery ends in substantial alignment with each other, carrier elements adapted to receive units of product alternately from said conveyors, a bell crank system for supporting said carrier elements for movement in predetermined paths with one carrier element ahead of its delivery end of its intake conveyor and the other in a discharge position or with said other in front of its delivery end of its intake conveyor and said one in said discharge position, a pusher element for pushing the units at said discharge position from both carrier elements alternately into a wrapping and cartoning machine, said carrier elements being operated at half the cycling of the machine in order to deliver the product from said intake conveyors alternately to said discharge position.

'7. In a transferring mechanism of the character disclosed for products such as prints of butter, a pair of side-by-side intake conveyors, a carrier element for each conveyor adapted to receive units of product therefrom, bell cranks pivotally connected with said carrier elements for swinging them through predetermined arcshaped paths and keeping them in a level position with the path of each carrier element being from the discharge end of its resepective intake conveyor to a common discharge position, means for oscillating said bell cranks each half cycle of operation of a wrapping and cartoning machine, and means for pushing the print of butter from each carrier element alternately each cycle of operation of the machine.

8. In a product transferring mechanism, a pair of intake conveyors arranged side-by-side and having aligned delivery ends, carrier elements adapted to receive units of product alternately from said ends, swinging arms carrying said carrier elements, cam means for oscillating said arms, said arms being arranged in parallelogram fashion to retain said carrier elements substantially level throughout all positions of movement thereof, the arc of movement of each carrier element being from adjacent the discharge end of its respective intake conveyor aligned therewith to a common position, and means for removing the product from said common position each cycle of operation of the machine and each cycle from said carrier elements alternately.

9. In a product transferring mechanism of the character shown, a pair of intake conveyors hav ing discharge ends aligned in relation to each other, said conveyors being arranged side-byside, a product carrier at the forward end of each of said conveyors and adapted to receive units of product therefrom, said carriers being provided with aprons to hold back additional units, means for alternately and laterally moving said carrier elements to a common position whereby the units from both may be discharged on the same level therefrom, said means also moving said carrier elements vertically and including parallelogram link arms on which they are piv otally mounted.

10. In a device of the character disclosed, a pair of intake conveyors having side-by-side discharge ends aligned with relation to each other, a carrier at the forward end of each of said conveyors and adapted to receive units of product issuing from the conveyors alternately, said carriers being provided with aprons to hold back additional units, a stationary hold-back apron at the front of both carriers, hold-down plates above the first of such additional units, means for vertically moving said carriers to positions aligned whereby the units from both may be discharged on' the same level therefrom, a pusher for effecting such discharge, and said means moving said carrier elements verticalily including bell cranks on which the carrier elements are mounted for the purpose of also moving them laterally to a common position as a result of swinging movement of the bell cranks.

EARL JOSEPH RAPP.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Rapp Aug. 14, 1951 Number 

